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Thursday, January 12, 2012

Rohit Sharma to retire from Test Cricket

Rohit Sharma today announced that he will be retiring from Test cricket. It makes him the first cricketer to have retired from Test cricket without playing Test cricket.

He said that he had reached this decision after careful thought, consideration and talking to friends, family and Sachin Tendulkar.

Rohit announced his decision at a press conference actually called to reflect on Sachin Tendulkar's impending 100th, Rohit Sharma; thanked Sachin Tendulkar for what might have been a stellar career. He said he had no regrets. He said, waiting for someone of the calibre of Sachin Tendlkar, VVS Laxman and Rahul Dravid to retire, one can wait a long wait.

Reactions to the retirement of a potential future great were swift but mixed...

Sachin Tendulkar said that "Rohit is just another cricketer who has retired before making his debut but I will let my bat do the talking"

Mahendra Singh Dhoni said that, "Ideally you would want someone warming the benches for 2-3 years before making his debut. So from a timing perspective Rohit Sharma has ensured that the next in line would have enough experience warming the benches by the time Virat Kohli retires. But the important thing is that we follow the process".

Virendra Sehwag said..."Yesterday it was Dhoni; now, Rohit, I think it is high time Sachin gets the message..."

Ravi Shastri said that although the decision was "Spot on", he just had the feeling that the first half an hour or so of retirement will be crucial. "Make no mistake, retirement is a two paced wicket and the ball tends to stop and come. I would invite Rohit to always play the rest of his life on the front-foot. Hanging back in the crease may just not be what the doctor ordered".

Shahid Afridi said, he is looking forward to bowling to Rohit Sharma in a Test Match, as he has heard a lot about him from Akram bhai.

Sanjay Manjrekar and Naseer Hussain in a joint statement said that..."The elephants in the room are forcing the donkeys out".

The ECB released an official statement on behalf of all English cricketers. It read..."We think this is ridiculous; he must be depressed".

"It's difficult to truly express what we feel. Its like we are tongue-tied", said Virat Kohli and Ishant Sharma, whose fingers under the latest BCCI gag order were taped to their palms.

Sirajuddin Mohammed Alamgir, secretary of the The Bangladesh Premiere League (BPL) governing council has said that he hopes Rohit Sharma spends his time away from the game in Bangladesh and help Bangladesh's Test fortunes....by playing in the BPL.

Birthday boy Rahul Dravid said, "I think Rohit is lying or under the influence. I strongly urge the ICC and the BCCI adminster a lie detector test or any half backed test; but not including the DRS; to prove Rohit's guilt. We cannot let such a massive lie go through the gaps".

The PCB Chairman too said he would like to pay a tribute to a potentially storied Test career of Rohit Sharma. "We are very close to issuing a tribute and we will have our new coach; when appointed; deliver it on behalf of the PCB"